Review: Timing by Mary Calmes

I
've read this charming book so many times and (for some reason) have
never sat down to review it properly... This is the book that made
me a fan of
Mary Calmes and one I return to often.

This is easily one of my favorite M/M romances ever written, showing
economy, precision and fierce sexuality that rewards multiple
rereads.
Mary Calmes has a (well-deserved) reputation for writing
delightful contemporary gay romance, and in truth this book may be
the best single expression of her many talents for a reader who
hasn’t taken a look at her work. The simplicity of the setup is
deceptive, and a lot of the book’s success relies on Calmes’ mastery
of “category” romance. It’s a stunner, but in a completely
understated way.

EVERY time I read it I learn something about romantic craft. This
get cited in hundreds of gay romance lists as a "comfort read" for a reason.
The dialogue is hilarious, the dynamics are warm and believable,
even the suspense subplot is handled deftly. Calmes’ affection for
her two heroes (Rand in particular) cooks off the page. The
blistering sex scenes and the complex family around these characters
only add to the experience. The first time I read the book I felt
like I KNEW these characters and their world, and having grown up
with a family ranch, that’s saying something. Even better, every
reread has revealed more telling detail and rich specifics. Not only
do I recognize these people, I feel like they would recognize me.
LOL What’s most satisfying, is that when I revisit the book, the
subtlety of the relationships seems to shift and refract and change.
Stefan and Rand get me every fucking time, but they seem to change
tactics, too, while I've been off reading other books. Amazing.

The sex is insanely hot, obviously. That’s a given with this
author…but it’s also heartbreaking and visceral and human.
Mary Calmes never gives any of her characters hollow “fucktimes”
but in this book their escalation of intimacy is architectural and
mindful. Calmes uses words and images to assemble kinks and
vulnerabilities for both her men (and other characters besides).

Rand is an idealized cowboy and Stefan is an idealized hipster, but
in a way the idealization is the point. Above all, this is a book
about assumptions, romantic and otherwise. The thing that some
reviewers seem to miss is that this book's two gorgeous,
charismatic, beloved heroes may LOOK perfect, their appearances
create all of the tension and conflict that makes this story so
rewarding. Rand and Stef are NOT perfect and grow exponentially over
the course of the novel. The story isn’t about a seduction that
takes place in one weekend, but rather of a courtship that takes
over a decade to complete.

TIMING, indeed.

Moreover, the rich backstory between the lovers makes for some
heartrending intimacy. Stef and Rand are anything but generic or
bland; how could they be? Each man comes with baggage and pain and a
keen sense of time slipping away, of opportunities missed. Their
growth is not external or blurb-friendly, but it's unforgettable.
Both men are also cranky, blinkered, and hemmed in by their looks.
The irony of readers making the same mistakes about these men that
they make about each other is not lost on me. Beautiful people
rarely find their lives made easier by bone structure and breeding.

Cleverly,
Mary Calmes gives herself two intensely charismatic characters
and then makes that charisma a source of anguish. Fucking brilliant
and impossibly romantic. In one neat dart the book’s heroes can have
charmed lives AND can be troubled by those charms. And their
weaknesses and expectations reflect their upbringings and the
(fabulous) people who populate the pages around them, an organic
community that keeps reminding them how charmed they are, for good
or ill.

Those minor characters deserve mention as well; each cast member is
memorable in voice, appearance, and actions…from the groom’s mis-dressed
mother to an uncle who likes his women plump. And each one of those
“minor” presences drive the story forward beautifully.

If you read gay romance you should have read this book already. If
you haven’t read gay romance before, this book is a fabulous
starting point.